CULTURE
Arts event to open
An annual event aimed at promoting cultural and arts exchanges between Taiwan and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region will begin in Taipei next week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. The Asia-Pacific Culture Day will open on Sept. 6 and, despite the name, will run for two days, featuring music, dance and handicrafts from participating countries throughout the region, the ministry’s Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs deputy director-general Bob Chen (陳龍錦) said. Participating countries will set up booths to introduce their cultures and products, Chen said. Performances will include modern and traditional dances from Japan, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands, along with South Korean percussion performances, he said. The annual event is to be held at Huashan 1914 Creative Park, the ministry said.
EDUCATION
Universities plan league
Top universities in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Singapore are set to form the “Pine League” in an effort to strengthen their partnership and promote academic, arts and sports exchanges, National Taiwan University (NTU) said on Monday. The universities are NTU; China’s Peking University and Tsinghua University; the University of Hong Kong; and the National University of Singapore. NTU said the universities, ranked the top five in the Chinese-speaking world, are all interested in pushing for the league to promote information exchange and cooperation. NTU president Yang Pan-chyr (楊泮池) said the league’s proposed name was inspired by pine trees being a symbol of perseverance, because they usually live for many years. He said the five universities are hoping to work together to contribute to society.
ENTERTAINMENT
S Korean actress to visit
South Korean actress Ha Ji-won will begin a tour of Asia by meeting fans in Taiwan in October, South Korean media said, citing Ha’s representative agency, Haewadal Entertainment. The 36-year-old star gained popularity in the nation for her portrayal of the titular character in the South Korean period TV drama Empress Ki. She played the Korean wife of the last emperor of China’s Yuan Dynasty. In other news, Japanese all-female pop group HKT48 announced that it is set to hold its first concert in Taiwan in December. The concert is to be held at the ATT Show Box in Taipei on Dec. 7. The group was created in 2011 by Japanese record producer Yasushi Akimoto, who also produced the AKB48 franchise.
CULTURE
Poetry show unveils lineup
This year’s Taipei Poetry Festival will feature renowned Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanikawa, among more than 30 writers from home and abroad, organizers said yesterday. At a seminar during the festival, Tanikawa, 83, will speak about his work, said Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs, which is organizing the festival. The festival, scheduled to run from Oct. 18 until Nov. 2, will also screen a documentary on Tanikawa, one of Japan’s most popular poets, the organizers said. Tanikawa, born in Tokyo, is quite prolific, having written more than 70 collections of poetry, the department said. It said Oksana Lutsyshyna of Ukraine, Joe Dunthorne of the UK and several Taiwanese poets will also be among the participating writers. The festival will include speeches, film screenings and music performances at venues around Taipei to present poetry in different ways, the organizers said.
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
DEFENDING FREEDOM: Taiwanese love peace and helping others, and hope to be a positive force in the world, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim told ‘Weltspiegel’ Taiwan is making every effort to prevent war in the face of China’s hybrid coercion tactics and military threats, Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) said in an interview with German public broadcaster ARD’s program Weltspiegel that aired on Monday. Taiwan is not seeking provocation or intending to disrupt international order, but “must possess the capacity for self-defense,” a news release issued by the Presidential Office yesterday quoted her as saying. Taiwan is closely watching not only the increasing scope and frequency of Chinese military exercises around the nation, but also Beijing’s hybrid and cognitive warfare tactics, including manipulating public opinion, fostering
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